Among the species on the UpS list are Ligusticum porteri (Osha) and Lomatium dissectum, both of which grow in much of the interior and mountain West. Both are important medicinals that are difficult to cultivate. Other plants may be used to substitute for these in many cases.

Ginseng issues

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is one of the early poster children for overharvesting. Remember Daniel Boone? He made his family’s fortune not as a trapper, but by using native folks to dig up ginseng root and sell it. American ginseng remains one of the largest herbal commodities nationally and internationally. In the process, the plant has been severely overharvested, and extirpated in some areas.

Increasingly, supplies of American ginseng are being cultivated rather than taken from the wild. The plant has very specific growing requirements and often isn’t easy to cultivate. Veteran herbsman Richo Cech details ginseng-cultivation needs in an article published on the UpS website.